'Tens of thousands' predicted for demo

Tuesday 16 March 2004 00:00 BST

Anti-war groups today predicted a huge turnout at a national demonstration against the UK's involvement in the Iraqi conflict amid continuing calls for the Government to "come clean" on the reasons for war.

Tens of thousands of people are expected to join the protest in London on Saturday to mark the first anniversary of the bombing campaign.

Similar protests will be held in cities across the world, including Madrid where a massive turnout is expected following last week's terrorist attack.

The Stop The War Coalition said today it was "urgent" that people continued to show their opposition to the war and hold the Government to account because of its "lies".

Convenor Lyndsey German said: "We are continuing to march because we want to make clear the strength of anti-war feeling in this country.

"Everything we said about the war has turned out to be true and everything the Government said has turned out to be a lie."

A black balloon will be released at the start of the protests in memory of the thousands of civilians and soldiers killed in Iraq and a minute's silence will be held in memory of the 200 people killed in Madrid.

Ms German added: "We expect the demonstration will send a strong message to Tony Blair that however much he wants to move on we will not allow him to do so."

Kate Hudson, chairwoman of CND, which is helping to organise the protest, said: "Every day more and more people are convinced by our argument but the Government is refusing to release information to the public about why we went to war.

"We reiterate our call for a full public inquiry because questions such as why did we go into an illegal war and on what evidence are not going to go away."Our Government sinks further into disrepute by avoiding them."

Labour MP Jeremy Corbyn, one of the fiercest critics of the war, said: "It is time the British people knew the truth about the build-up to the war.

"We are calling for withdrawal of British and American troops from Iraq and an end to the deception."Anti-war groups today predicted a huge turnout at a national demonstration against the UK's involvement in the Iraqi conflict amid continuing calls for the Government to "come clean" on the reasons for war.

Tens of thousands of people are expected to join the protest in London on Saturday to mark the first anniversary of the bombing campaign.

Similar protests will be held in cities across the world, including Madrid where a massive turnout is expected following last week's terrorist attack.

The Stop The War Coalition said today it was "urgent" that people continued to show their opposition to the war and hold the Government to account because of its "lies".

Convenor Lyndsey German said: "We are continuing to march because we want to make clear the strength of anti-war feeling in this country.

"Everything we said about the war has turned out to be true and everything the Government said has turned out to be a lie."

A black balloon will be released at the start of the protests in memory of the thousands of civilians and soldiers killed in Iraq and a minute's silence will be held in memory of the 200 people killed in Madrid.

Ms German added: "We expect the demonstration will send a strong message to Tony Blair that however much he wants to move on we will not allow him to do so."

Kate Hudson, chairwoman of CND, which is helping to organise the protest, said: "Every day more and more people are convinced by our argument but the Government is refusing to release information to the public about why we went to war.

"We reiterate our call for a full public inquiry because questions such as why did we go into an illegal war and on what evidence are not going to go away."Our Government sinks further into disrepute by avoiding them."

Labour MP Jeremy Corbyn, one of the fiercest critics of the war, said: "It is time the British people knew the truth about the build-up to the war.

"We are calling for withdrawal of British and American troops from Iraq and an end to the deception."